Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-02-12
AT THE CAPITOL TO-DAY.
TO BUILD THE NEW NAVY.
The Two Bills Before the Senate
The P. o. Appropriation Bill.
TRADE DOLLAR BILL IN THE HOUSE
The Senate.

ings aG Troy. New York, to 100000.
For public building at Portsmouth, Ohio, and
fixing the limit of cost at 100000.
increasing the appropriation for public build
ing az BroOklyn, n. " and fixing the limit OF cost
at 81 SOC, ,OOO
THE BILL TO INCREASE THE NAVAL ESTABLISHMENT.
MT cameron, from the committee on naval af-
fairs reported back with amendments the bill in
troduGed by him yesterday t"to increase the naval
establishment, and gave notice that h vii! call
II up on Monday, immediately after the morning
business. lIhe amendments made by the naval
comnlttee nave the effect OF fixing the bonus TO
De pald tne contractor for the first knot III excess
OF the contract rate OF twenty knots TO be at
talned Dy the proposed new cruisers, one hundred
two hundred thousand dollars The aggregate Of
the appropriation, s2l,so0.0G0. has not been
MIR. Hale reported back from the naval commit
tee, with an amendment, the bill introduced by
him yesterday "tO provide for the increase OF the
naval establishment" and gave notice he will call
PIRATES three millions for the armament OF the
vessels 10r the construction Of which the bill pro-
VldeS Inc oil now appropriates $15, 100000
SPECIE PAYMENT.
Mr.. Williams introduced bill to amend the act
for the resumption Of specie payment. Referred
to the committee on finance. 1T authorizes the
redemption OF legal tenders, in coin at San Fran
CISCO In the same manner Us the law at present
provides for New York
CAPT. REEDS SWORD.
Mr.. HOar, from the committee on library, re-
ported joint resolution authorizing the President
to accept, on behalf of the United States, the
sword OF the late Captain Samuel Chester Reed,
commanding the United States private armed brig
General Armstrong, rendered by his son, Samuel
c. Reed and to make to the giver of such sword
such Acknowledgement as The President shall
deem suitable. Passed.
The conference report on the bill for a public
building at Lafayette, Ind, was presented and
agreed TO.
House bill relating to the division of the state of
infn iA1 distr nv,d hnlj
terms OF court OF the northern district at Peoria
was passed with an amendment.) A committee
OF conference on the amendment was ordered.
THE P. O. APPROPRIATION Bull.
The Senate then, at IL 80. resumed conSidera-
tion Of the Post Office appropriation bill, the ques
ton being on the amendment appropriating
$500, 900 for the mails to South America.
MIR. Beck replied to some OF the remarks of Sena-
tor Plumb yesterday. That Senator he said,
seemed to tnink that there had been undue
He was glad that that Senator had to admit that
1t was clean bill, without any jobbery in it-no
the administration OF the Post Office.
Mr. Plumb said that he and the Senator from
Kentucky had been now. for five years. on the
subcommittee which had charge OF the post
Office appropriation bill, and he asked him to
state whether there had been any "jobbery" in
such bills during that time.
Mr.. Beck replied that since the "Star route'
matters had been got rid OF there had been no
Jobbery in these post Office appropriation bills
that he was aware OF.
Mr.. Plumb replied to Mr.. Beck, severely crtti-
cfSed the postal service as now conducted, saying
that in Nebraska, Texas, Montana and other sec
tionS the service poorer than ever before In
the history OF the country.
Mr.. Coke said that was true as to Texas; that
the postal service In that state is in worse con-
The TACT that SenatOr-elect Reagan was post
master general OF the cOnfedcracy, and that the
postal service which Mr.. Coke condemned was
under his administration, was commented upon
as somewhat significant.
K1Ouse of Representatives.
Immediately after the reading OF the journal Mr..
Scott tPa.) demanded the regular ORDER and called
up the Senate bill for the retirement and recoin-
age OF the trade dollar.
MT. O'Neill (Mo.> raised the point OF order that
the committee on labor was entitled to the floor
under prior special order made In May last. That
special order had been made under suspension OF
the rules in May last by two-thirds vote, and he
contended that it could not be set aside by ma
1or1ty vote OF the House upon resolution reported
by the committee on rules. Such a course would
turn the making OF special order by tWO-th1rdS
vote into farce.
The committee on rules could nullify the action
Of the House and tomorrow report a resolution
setting aside the remainder OF the session the
consideration OF one particular job, to the exciu-
sion OF every prior special order
The Speaker seated that the order awarding the
floor for one day to the committee on labor
had been made in May last, and was a continuing
order. subsequently the hOuSe-nOt the commit
tee on ruies-had set aside particular day for the
consideration OF the trade dollar bill to the exclu.
sion o1 all other business. He Overruled the point
OF order.
Mr. O'Neill then raised the question of considera-
ton.
THE TRADE DOLLAR BILL
The House decided-yeaS 142, nays lotto con-
slider the trade dollar bill.
At Mr.. Scott's suggestion, debate was limited to
two hours.
Mr.. Scott then took the floor In advocacy of the
measure, saying that the country who had taken
them IN pay for their commodities had every right
the oars ta5 Coined they were @ d
,,e been exported, leaving in this country q
little over 9OOO 600. 1t was reasonable to suppose
ho smas proportion OF these had been utilized as
Dullon IL was safe TO presume that il the pend
Ing Dlll were enacted into law not more than
100 600 trade dollars would be redeemed and re-
Mr. Riddleberger Voted Down.
he WANTED SECRET SESSION TO CONSIDER vR-
GINA APPOINTMENTS.
IN the senate to-day, at 30 o'clock Mr.. Rid
deOerger moved to proceed to the consideration of
executive business He said he had no idea
that the Senate would do it, but that the state of
virginia was one for which appointments had not
seeking 10 prevail upon the Senate to do its duty
Ine motion was put and lost. A minute or two
la, iater MI RiddlebeIger asked what had become OF
ulS mOtlOn. The chair replied that 1t had been
put and lost. Mr.. Riddleberger said he was not
aware 1t had been put. He said he had a definite
PuiPoSc III moving IOr an executive session ana ne
INTENDED to pursue 1t. The motion was put and
lost by q viva voce vote, whereupon MIR. Riddle
berger demanded the yeas and nays, which were
OIoered. The only votes for the motion were
tnose OF Payne, R1ddleberger, Palmer, Sawyer and
George. The nays were 80.
District i'm Congress.
HOW THE DISTRICT Is GOVERNED.
During the debate on the gas bill in the Senate
yesterday Mr.. German said that the people of the
District OF Columbia are governed, we all know,
ny commission which they have no earthly
power 10 control the appointment Of; and prac-
tlcaly all the main needs OF the District in the
hands OF army officers, and especially en-
Ilonaply very unsatisfactory to this people, and,
iOr one want TO enter my protest against the en-
iargement OF the duties assigned to army officers,
nOnesC and capable as they are. 1t produces con-
sIant friction. They give consideration, not the
proper consideration to the people OF this District
90 not know that there is any government on
the lace OF the earth that is more autOcrattc and
quoted Dy army officers when you assign them ia
Inc performance OF civil duties.
INCREASING THE PAY OF wATCHMEN.
A favorable report has been ordered by the
House committee on labor on bill increasing
Hom 500 to $75 per month the wages OF watchmen
IN the government departments. Under the In.
stIucuOn OF the committee Chairman John ONetll
Is making an Investigation into the allegations
Lalro, mat the employees In the surgeon generals
once nave been required to work overtime.
FOR PURCHASE OF LOT.
In the Senate to-day Mr.. Malone, from the com
mttee on public buildings and grounds reported